Healthy Neighborhoods Coalition

The Healthy Neighborhoods Coalition focuses on building safe, thriving neighborhoods in central Vancouver. Coalition members engage in collaborative planning and advocacy to create sustainable, healthy neighborhoods where everyone can safely live, learn, work, play, do business, and grow spiritually. The coalition’s work focuses on three priority areas: increase access to healthy foods, build and support community-school connections, and build and support community connections for neighborhood initiated work.

Coalition members participated in a series of video workshops and then gathered video footage on issues they wanted to highlight about their communities. The videos document some of the community’s challenges but also highlight the strength and resiliency of the community in working together to address these challenges.

Healthy Neighborhoods Coalition leaders and community members talk about their community’s collaborative strategies to address local needs and revitalize the neighborhood.

Healthy Neighborhoods Coalition member Mikeila Nienaber shares information about a Cooking Matters for Teens class offered at the Clark County Food Bank to teach teenagers how to cook a healthy meal on a budget.

Healthy Neighborhoods Coalition member Sean Chavez documents Vancouver’s Fourth Plain neighborhood’s challenges as well as its vibrancy. Writing about the video, Sean says, "I believe we need to look beyond broken gates and graffiti and into the people who live, work and play together in our community. While narrating this video I looked out my window to Evergreen Park where I saw 50+ kids and staff out playing. This place that was once labeled ‘dangerous’ was suddenly filled with a joy and playfulness I would have never expected. I had to stop and find out more. . . I interviewed some of these individuals and discovered the amazing stores of hope, community, fun and values."